Beauty

[Tissyanne]

I need to do that, and then not repurchase/overstock.

[CelticAngel]

I'm in the midst of doing this too. As a fellow Virgoan, I wonder if it has something to do with the stars?! LOL For the items suitable to share (it's amazing how much I don't even open, esp from kits) I usually offer first dibs to my mom and nieces. Everything else goes to our local women's shelter.

[virgosun]

I have to watch out for my tendency to believe everything they say when a new ingredient or formulation is touted as ""THE ANSWER"" to my skincare issues and then it's offered at a special introductory price! That has been my downfall and how I have ended up with so many products I needed to finally toss out or give away. Everything seems to keep my skin smooth but nothing has really made my actual problems (thank God they are slight) actually disappear.

[Harpa]

Been there, done that - a couple times! Happy for you, virgosun! Because it is a good feeling, and you realize a few things!

You mentioned going to the derm. Just keep in mind that may be one person's opinion. Sometimes I wonder if dermatologists underplay skin health ingredients. Not that I want to use/do everything including the kitchen sink. A combination of key things (doing & using) does seem to work best (at least for me). I hope you can find that, too.

Please follow up and let us know what he says and/or your new protocol!

[virgosun]

Thanks Harpa I'm going to the derm for a clean up on a MOSE procedure another derm did that was not done properly. Figured while I was there I'd ask for advice about my skincare issues and see what he had to say. But I'm not throwing out the baby with the bathwater! I still have favorite products left and intend to use them. Mostly, I would just like to know his recs on dealing with hyperpigmentation. And Celtic Angel (great name), we Virgos are known for being neat and orderly, at least when the mood strikes us!

[cndkrick]

It is something great to do that definitely makes you feel good. I did this about a year ago. I took all the items (most were barely used and there was A LOT) to my SIL. She loved it all, shes a junkie (of anything really), always seeing what she can find at garage sales, so I knew she'd LOVE it, and I was right. I got excited showing her all that I'd brought her, and to see her ecstatic face, I knew I'd done the right thing. I say the this because, for some of us collectors, its hard to let some things go. To be completely honest, the reason I had bought some of those things is because they're so pretty. The packaging, the product. But that is no reason to keep all that product around. I mean, it does eventually go bad. So why keep it? Why keep it when someone can fully enjoy it. What a great feeling.

[Katrinka23]

Every year prior to Christmas our church does "Operation Shoebox" for women's/men's shelters. Among the list of items they request are "cosmetics". I save all my samples and unused items, etc. and donate them to this cause. There are always so many items in a kit that I would never use.

[anniebear]

Way to go! I've got to do the same thing next week. From what I've read but tend to avoid thinking about, bacteria can build up on surfaces of things like lip products and pressed powder items and they have recommended shelf lives. I've got items I've had for years and I've got a feeling many of them would fall into the "so contaminated they are practically poisonous" range! Maybe if I can de-clutter my cosmetics I will move on to the rest of the house!

[virgosun]

anniebear Great idea! Start small with clearing out cosmetics and it gets you in the mood to move on to closets and dresser drawers. I ended up having enough energy to raid my shoes (don't have lots, not a shoe fanatic) and found pairs I didn't know existed because they hardly got worn to begin with, just never felt really comfortable. They got tossed too.

[BeautybytesbyCC]

I did the exact same thing last week. I weeded out what I need vs don't need; ie: I don't need 5,000 tubes of lipstick lol. This is my new makeup inventory: 1 lipgloss 1 lipstick 1 lipliner 1 tube of tinted moisturizer 1 powder compact 1 tube of mascara 1 eye shadow palette 1 blush/highlighter compact Concealer I also pared down my makeup brush collection. "Disco budgie in the house tonight, eat some millet and have a good time" ~Disco the parakeet Wow! I don't think I could have ever pared down that much! It does feel good tho, I sure!